


It Was a Dark Night

by alphatoothless



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-22
Updated: 2014-06-22
Packaged: 2018-02-05 19:02:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1828885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphatoothless/pseuds/alphatoothless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Astrid fears for Hiccup's safety, Hiccup is determined to find out the truth about their feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Was a Dark Night

**Author's Note:**

> One-shot, just practicing writing and developing character relationships. Enjoy!

The night is horrifying because no one knows what it brings. The night comes slowly to prepare those who are not willing to fight what lurks in the dark. As sunset comes to a close, even Vikings realize it’s time to return to their homes, where the darkness cannot reach. 

Astrid, a young Valkyrie, does not fear such darkness. All her life she has trained in it, readied herself for any creature that threatens to fight her as she practices in solitude. She throws the battle-axe again at the tree; its bark maimed and tattered, to practice her skills in the event that it happened again. A day had passed since Hiccup awoke from his sleep, a horrifying time where Astrid gripped his hand as he moaned in his sleep. 

Thunk.

Astrid remembers Hiccup sweating, fever setting in as his leg adjusted to its absence shin down. He gripped on to her so tight, she felt pain, but she gripped him harder, allowing him to cry on her stomach, her arms holding him closer in his bed as she continued to put water-soaked cloths on his head and his leg. 

Thunk.

Astrid had stayed with him the entire time until he stopped sweating, until his fever subsided, until no longer he gripped her for help. Toothless was not far behind, he feared for his friend, but he also feared for the Viking girl that he had started to enjoy. When Hiccup showed signs of waking up, Astrid left, leaving Toothless to watch over him. She may have taken care of him, but Hiccup didn’t need to know that. She was still a Viking, regardless of how much she cared about Hiccup. Or was it loved?

Crack.

Did she love Hiccup? Hiccup, now deemed a hero among the island, was now beyond her choice for a husband. Before, her main demands of Dragon Training fell first with being the best Valkyrie, once she achieved that, she was to focus on becoming a better wife. Her mother had trained her to be a great wife, to cook and clean, to help the man, just as the man should help her. Now that Hiccup was the new esteemed son-of-chief, Astrid was to focus on getting a husband. It was time, she was of age, and her parents were already discussing the importance of the tradition.

Cough.

Astrid glanced around then, suddenly aware of the lean boy who put his hands behind his back, giving her a small smile. She was surprised she hadn’t heard him, especially with the metal of his new foot hitting against the rocks. 

“Hiccup? What are you doing here?” Astrid wrenched the battle-axe out of the tree and set it down. She leaned against the tree, crossing her arms.

“Uh, well, I wanted to talk to you.” Hiccup stepped closer, eyeing the battle-axe wearily.

“I’m not going to kill you, if that’s why you keep looking at my axe.” Astrid smirked, her hand on her hip.

Hiccup was close to Astrid now, inches from her, smiling weakly. He stared to the side, his mouth twisting.

“So I heard you took care of me before I woke up.” 

Astrid swallowed hard. She blinked and stood straighter then, her back tense as her nerves caused her heart to thump harder. Who would have said anything? Toothless can’t speak and his father-it had to have been Stoick.

“Well, Berk needed its hero alive. I just provided water and cloths to help you. You needed help.”

“But you were there, I was told you were holding me.” Hiccup seemed persistent, and Astrid suddenly felt the need to call for Stormfly who was just a few yards away playing with Toothless.

“I was just there to help you, it’s what I was trained to do. I figured I could help you if I just tried.” 

“What about when you kissed me?” Hiccup continued, as if looking for a cue, for some sort of sign. Astrid was trying to understand what it was he was searching for.

“Because I love you.” Astrid’s eyes widened as she gripped her mouth. Odin’s ghost, she was doomed. She grabbed her axe then, and whistled for Stormfly. Hiccup protested, but Astrid cleared her throat, hopped on the bird-like dragon, and she was on her way toward the sky. She heard Hiccup call for Toothless then, and she was determined to fly faster, deeper into the woods.

She couldn’t believe it. What had she done? All this time, all these years, she’d avoided admitting any feelings toward the smaller Viking, and now it was all wasted. Stormfly flew faster, curious as to what was wrong with Astrid. She squawked when Toothless appeared next to her, looking just as curious and confused as she was. 

“Astrid! Astrid slow down!” Hiccup called, determined to make Astrid talk after her confession. His heart pounded and his leg ached, but this was what he had been waiting for his entire life. 

“Hiccup, go home!” Astrid growled, anger bubbling up at her cowardly behavior. 

“Not until you talk to me!” Hiccup shouted back, the wind making it hard to hear as they both flew across the island, over the sea. She wasn’t escaping this one. 

Toothless then rushed forward, flying above Stormfly, and Hiccup grabbed Astrid then, pulling her on top of Toothless. Stormfly made a worried noise, only to be comforted by Toothless’s snort. 

“Hiccup! What did I tell you about doing that?!” Astrid was now fuming, wanting to be alone and angry at herself, but now redirected to Hiccup and his persistence to talk everything out. 

They shortly landed, Astrid hopping off the black dragon. Hiccup hopped off just as quickly, grabbing Astrid by the hand and forcing her to stop.

“Astrid, you can’t-you can’t say something like that and expect me to just brush it off!”

“What does it matter to you, Hiccup?” Astrid now stood her ground, realizing she was not going to be able to leave. 

“Because it’s why I came looking for you. Astrid, I have to know because I feel the same way, and I’m tired of being too afraid to actually ask you. I want to be your-your boyfriend.” Hiccup let go of Astrid’s hand as she stared at him in complete shock.

He was then punched in the shoulder with the same hand he’d released.

“Ow! What was that for?” Hiccup whined.

“That was for chasing me!” 

Stepping closer to him then, she leaned in and kissed him softly. 

“And that’s for everything you said. And yes, by the way.” Astrid smiled.

“Yes? To what?” Hiccup found himself smiling even bigger.

“Yes to you being my boyfriend.” 

Hiccup relaxed, grabbed Astrid’s hand and walked with her through the woods. Their dragons trailed behind them, raised eyebrows and shrugs from both, but the newfound interest in their humans’ courtship. Suddenly, the darkness didn't seem so bad.


End file.
